Cool MateCertain vs Confident vs Convinced vs Positive vs Sure about that
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
Certain
Confident
Convinced
Positive
Sure about that
| Certain | Confident | Convinced | Positive | Sure about that | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 /["/ˈsɜːtn/"]/🇺🇸 /["/ˈsɜːrtn/"]/ | 🇬🇧 //ˈkɒn.fɪ.dənt//🇺🇸 //ˈkɑːn.fɪ.dənt// | 🇬🇧 /["/kənˈvɪnst/"]/🇺🇸 /["/kənˈvɪnst/"]/ | 🇬🇧 /["/ˈpɒzətɪv/"]/🇺🇸 /["/ˈpɑːzətɪv/"]/ | 🇬🇧 //ʃʊə əˈbaʊt ðæt//🇺🇸 //ʃʊr əˈbaʊt ðæt// |
| Meaning | sure, without any doubt | Feeling sure about yourself and your abilities. | To believe strongly that something is true or correct. | Having a good attitude or a good feeling about something. | Confident in something or having no doubt. |
| Example | I am certain that I locked the door before leaving. | She was confident during her presentation. | She was convinced that she could win the competition. | She has a positive attitude that inspires everyone around her. | I am sure about that decision we made last week. |
| Register | Neutral | Neutral | Neutral | Neutral | Neutral |
| How common | Top 1,000 (very common) | Top 1,000 (very common) | Top 2,000 (common) | Top 1,000 (very common) | Top 3,000 (common) |
| CEFR level | A2 | B1 | B2 | A1 | - |
| Part of speech | adjective | adjective | adjective | adjective | |
| Collocations | be, feel, look, very, absolutely, quite, about, of, can’t say for certain, not know for certain, be, feel, look, very, absolutely, quite, about, of, can’t say for certain, not know for certain | confident attitude, confident speaker, confident approach, confident smile | appear, be, feel, absolutely, completely, fully, of | appear, be, feel, extremely, fairly, very, about, be, prove, test, strongly, weakly, for, be, seem, sound, absolutely, quite, fairly, about, of | sure about something, not sure about that, be sure about it |
| Antonyms | uncertain, doubtful, indefinite | insecure, doubtful, unsure | unconvinced, doubtful, skeptical | negative, pessimistic | - |
| Common mistakes | Confused with 'sure' in different contexts., Using 'certain' without clarifying what is certain about., Incorrectly using 'certain' to describe someone as a person (should be used for objects or ideas). | Confusing with 'confidence' which is the noun form., Using 'confident' to describe objects instead of people., Confusing 'confident' with 'arrogant', which has a negative connotation. | Using 'convince' instead of 'convinced' as an adjective., Confusing 'convinced' with 'persuaded' when only one person believes., Omitting the object when using 'convinced'. | Confused with 'positive' vs 'negative'., Using 'positively' in place of 'positive' incorrectly., Mispronouncing 'positive' without the correct emphasis. | Using with a negative without proper context., Confusing with 'sure of' which can imply a different nuance., Incorrect intonation may change the meaning. |
| Usage notes | Use 'certain' when you want to express confidence in something. It's appropriate in both spoken and written English, but avoid it in very formal contexts where 'specific' or 'determined' may be better. | Use 'confident' to describe someone who believes in their skills. Generally appropriate in both formal and informal contexts. | Use 'convinced' in both formal and informal contexts. It's often followed by 'that' when expressing what someone believes ('convinced that...'). Avoid using in overly casual contexts where slang is preferred. | Use 'positive' to describe feelings, thoughts, or results. It's appropriate in most contexts, but avoid in very technical discussions where precision is key. | Use in conversations to express confidence or assurance. It is appropriate in both formal and informal settings. Avoid using it when unsure. |
See it in real clips
Frequently asked questions: Certain vs Confident vs Convinced vs Positive vs Sure about that
What's the difference between Certain, Confident, Convinced, Positive, and Sure about that?
Certain: sure, without any doubt Confident: Feeling sure about yourself and your abilities. Convinced: To believe strongly that something is true or correct. Positive: Having a good attitude or a good feeling about something. Sure about that: Confident in something or having no doubt.
Which is more advanced: Certain, Confident, Convinced, Positive, and Sure about that?
Convinced is the highest level, at B2, on the CEFR scale.
Can you show an example of each?
Certain: I am certain that I locked the door before leaving. Confident: She was confident during her presentation. Convinced: She was convinced that she could win the competition. Positive: She has a positive attitude that inspires everyone around her. Sure about that: I am sure about that decision we made last week.
Can I use Certain, Confident, Convinced, Positive, and Sure about that interchangeably?
Not always. Certain, Confident, Convinced, Positive, and Sure about that are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.